WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — The Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins is hosting a series of events in honor of the 50th anniversary of "Operation Homecoming." More than 590 American Prisoners of War (POW) held by North Vietnam returned home in 1973, ending U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
One of the sayings the POWs used was "Resist, survive, and return with honor." They say there's no glory without suffering.
Dozens of folks gathered at the Museum of Aviation to hear the stories of four prisoners of war. Several were prisoners for more than five years.
Bill Robinson spent time in several North Vietnamese prison camps.
"The walls were about 25 feet high with broken glass and constituted wire on the top," Robinson said.
Robinson served as crew chief on an Air Force rescue helicopter. He says he looked at his future home as a hole in the ground a place he could never be heard from again.
"I made peace with my maker that I may not see my 23rd birthday," Robinson said.
Lee Ellis was assigned to Danang, Vietnam and flew more than 50 combat missions. "The communist would get the guys from the villages all fired up and they would come after us with sticks and rocks and everything else," Ellis said.
Ellis says he was captured in about 90 seconds.
"We just believed that we were not going to cooperate with them and give them what they want. 95% of us were tortured at some time or another," Ellis said.
But he says human beings are much more adaptable than we think.
"When you have people around you as a good example that care about you and let you know that you can do this. It's very encouraging and it makes a big difference," he said.
A miracle to live to fight another day, and make it home to their families.
"Operation Homecoming" brought closure for many families, but not everyone made it home. According to the Department of Defense more than 2,000 Americans are still missing in action from Vietnam.